Designed for family members of those who have problems with alcohol or drugs. Answers questions about substance abuse, its signs and symptoms, treatment options, and recovery. Addresses the concerns of children whose parents have substance misuse or addiction issues.
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Describes the impact of alcohol and drug addiction on the entire family. Explains how substance addiction treatment works, how family interventions can help children in families affected by alcohol and drug misuse, and how to help children in homes affected by substance abuse.
“It's not your fault!” and “You're not alone!” assures teens whose parents abuse alcohol or drugs. Provides a resource list and encourages teens to seek emotional support from other adults, school counselors, and youth support groups such as Alateen.
Children whose parents or friends' parents may have substance abuse problems are given information about alcohol and drug addiction. Advises children to look after themselves by talking about their problems and joining support groups like Alateen.
After an Attempt: A Guide to Caring for Your Family Member Following Emergency Room Treatment
Aids family members in dealing with the aftermath of a suicide attempt by a relative. Describes the emergency room treatment process, including a list of follow-up questions to ask, and explains how to limit risk and maintain safety at home.
For People in Recovery From Mental Illness or Addiction, Family Therapy Can Help
The importance of family therapy in the recovery from mental illness or substance abuse is examined. Explains how and who conducts family therapy sessions, describes a typical session, and provides data on its effectiveness in recovery.
Life challenges
Dealing with the mundane hardships and stressors of daily life can lead to spiritual sorrow. These difficulties could include the following:
Any of these issues can lead to depression, although depression can also develop without a specific cause or trigger.
Fixation on past sins
Even if you try to forget about a mistake, it can stay in your mind.
Even if you seek forgiveness, struggling to move on from a past or present mistake can lead to unshakeable feelings of guilt and other spiritual pain.
When you're dealing with significant depression, you may have a propensity to dwell on previous mistakes and regrets, so it's critical to seek help if you're having difficulties coping.
Neglecting your spirituality
When you have less time for God and your typical religious activities, such as prayer, Bible study, worship, and other church activity, spiritual sadness might set in. According to certain religious teachings, this occurs as a result of getting unduly preoccupied with so-called worldly concerns, such as job, hobbies and leisure, or social activities.
It's completely acceptable to devote time to any of these pursuits. It's healthy to divide your time between work, rest, family and friends, and delightful relaxation in order to have a balanced life.
However, if spirituality is a significant part of your life and your daily responsibilities leave you with less and less time for God, you may feel depressed.
Religious doubt
When you observe sorrow and suffering around you, whether in your own life or in other parts of the world, you might start to wonder why God allows people to suffer.
Anger, bewilderment, and doubt are all common emotions that accompany a personal loss or misfortune.
This doubt, whatever its source, might make you feel separated from God, even abandoned. You may begin to consider existential notions such as:
You may feel ambivalent about your spirituality while you fight with these thoughts, and you may find yourself simply going through the motions of church or prayer.
Existential ideas might contribute to depression by making you go through the motions of daily life with no genuine interest.
Excessive self-examination
When you're dealing with troubles and difficulties, you might think about how your own behaviors contributed to your worries. Then you may start thinking about how to deal with them.
Self-examination can provide insight into decisions that will be more beneficial in the future. Taking measures to find solutions to your difficulties is, of course, never a bad idea.
Still, obsessing on your perceived shortcomings and failings for an extended period of time, or cycling through deeper anxieties you can't quickly overcome, may exacerbate your distress.
Rumination, or thinking dark, sad, or negative ideas again and over, has been linked to depression in studies. As a result, focusing too much on spiritual anxieties or worries, especially when you don't have any clear answers, might exacerbate spiritual sadness.
How can I reduce my spiritual anxiety?
According to Bourne, spiritual practices such as praying, meditating, attending a religious service, or simply spending time in nature can help you experience good changes in your thoughts and behaviors, which can help you overcome anxiety and depression.
When is your soul sad?
We unconsciously shy away from this grief because it is so terrible. We often bury our melancholy by reentering the shamejudging our suffering, claiming that we deserve it, convincing ourselves that others experience “genuine suffering” and we shouldn't be overwhelmed with self-pity. Only when we directly and attentively contact our anguish can our soul sadness become fully unveiled. It comes out when we stay put and completely acknowledge that this person is experiencing a difficult time. We uncover a spontaneous outpouring of compassionthe sensitivity of our own forgiving heartin such situations.
How do you help someone spiritually?
We are dedicated to providing whole-person care to our patients and their families at AdventHealth. This entails going above and above to meet not just their physical, but also their emotional and spiritual requirements. The good news is that you don't need a theology degree or to be a chaplain to achieve this. It can be as simple as delivering a reassuring touch or uttering a quick prayer.
Keep in mind that there is no one-size-fits-all approach when considering some of the spiritual care options described below. Everyone you meet is at a distinct stage of their spiritual development. Consider what it's like to be in their shoes when you interact, and pray for wisdom to help them in the ways they require.
Take Your Cues from the Patient
Because patients are visitors at our hospitals, it's critical to let them take the lead throughout each visit. Don't bring up the subject of church or religion. Instead, begin by inquiring about their well-being and what led them to the hospital. This allows kids to express themselves and communicate what is important to them.
Pay attention to your patient's nonverbal signals as well. Patients will sometimes try to be polite by not speaking out when they require assistance. Others are in an uncomfortable circumstance that makes it difficult for them to express clearly how they want to be cared for. Before you can provide spiritual support, you must first address your patient's physical requirements, which may include changing the bed, turning off the television so they can have some quiet time, or assisting them to the bathroom.
Demonstrate a Christ-like Attitude
Treat your patients with the same love that God has for you! Don't just say you care about someone; actually care about them and recognize the good in them. That means treating them as if they were the most important person in your life, even if you don't agree with everything they say or how they treat you. Keep in mind that love isn't always a sensation. It's sometimes a decision to smile even if you don't feel like it, to establish eye contact, to listen with compassion, and to serve without expecting anything in return.
3. Inquire about the patient's spiritual needs.
Asking patients how you might help them spiritually is one of the simplest methods to provide spiritual care, and then doing your best to fulfill that request is another. For example, if your patient is a Greek Orthodox Christian who wishes to see a priest before surgery, contact the Greek Orthodox Church in your area and see whether the priest would be willing to come. Remember not to make any promises to your patient that you aren't confident you can keep. Rather than promising a Greek Orthodox priest by 3 p.m., simply say, “Let me check into it and see what I can arrange.”
Offer to contact a chaplain or pray with the patient if the priest is unavailable.
Support Patients Within Their Own Faith Tradition
The goal of spiritual care isn't to convert patients to your religion; rather, it's to help them connect with the divine if they desire it. Remember that they are a captive audience, frequently confined to a hospital bed they don't want to be in, while you connect with them. It's always right to show God's love and compassion in these situations, but it's not fair to tell them what they should believe.
I understand that caregivers who want to be loyal to their own values may have internal conflict in this area. This is my recommendation to you: Make every effort to assist patients according to their religious beliefs, but always follow your conscience. When I pray with patients who are not Christians, for example, I make sure the language I use do not contradict my own views.
Also keep in mind that, in the end, people do not convert people. Only God has the power to change people's hearts.
5. Listen to others' fears and concerns without getting caught up in your own.
It's simple to remark, “I know how you feel,” and then launch into a tale about one of your own experiences when someone starts sharing their problems with you. But keep in mind that you are there to help the patient, not the other way around. To provide emotional and spiritual support, I've found that naming the emotions that patients or family members express and then asking a follow-up question is far more effective. “I hear a lot of fear in your comments,” you could say, for example. “Could you please explain me where that came from?” “You appear to be in a bad mood.” “Could you tell me what's going on?”
Don't be offended if they refuse to talk to you. Take that as an indication that the time isn't quite right.
6. Inquire whether you are permitted to pray with them.
Caregivers aren't always sure how or when to ask whether a patient wants prayer. My general rule of thumb is to always ask if you can pray for your patient if they are in pain. “Would you mind if I say a quick prayer for you, Mrs. Jones?” I'll generally say. The word “short” is significant because it tells the patient that even if they don't understand what you're going to say, they'll probably be able to tolerate it because it will be brief.
Share an Encouraging Thought or Word
Scripture has a wonderful ability to elevate people's spirits and encourage them. Psalm 46:10 is one of my favorite Bible scriptures that I like to share with patients. It reads, “Be quiet, and know that I am God,” declares the Lord. When I read this scripture to frightened patients, I tell them to relax, take a deep breath, and recognize that they are in God's presence, and that God will take care of them.
What parts of the Bible speak to you the most? I recommend memorizing two or three so that you can draw from a pool of spiritual concepts that have inspired you and utilize them to encourage others when the occasion arises.
8. Make Use of Your Senses of Presence and Touch
When I first started out as a chaplain, I had a hard time grasping what it meant to be a chaplain “Presence ministry.” I wanted to say a lot of things to soothe someone who had lost a loved one or who had a loved one who wasn't doing well. I've now learnt that people don't always want to hear words. They simply want to know that someone is concerned about them. A person in need can receive this care just by being in your presence. Simply by being present in that moment, you are reflecting God.
What is fear spiritually?
The spirit of fear is one of the primary and most important door openers for other demonic spirits. This spirit can take various shapes, but no matter what kind of fear spirit it is, its aims are obvious. Its goal is to keep you from completing God's plan for your life; from living a joyous, spirit-led existence in which you contribute to others out of an abundance of love. It will give you nightmares and keep you awake at night. It will prevent you from leaving your house or healing from previous mental and physical scars. For instance, the dread of discarding something, which could be anything from collections to clothing to rubbish. These folks have been branded “hoarders,” and you can tell when you meet one. And getting rid of their belongings (even rubbish) is akin to amputating a leg for them. It is really traumatic and terrifying for them. This fear is brought on by tragedy, most commonly the death of a loved one, but any experience can bring this spirit of fear upon a person.
How do you break the cycle of anxious thoughts?
We discussed the 3-Component Model in a recent piece, which explains how your ideas, feelings, and behaviors interact to cause worry.
The following posts will focus on actively addressing the three components in order to reduce anxiety.
Behaviors: Recognize patterns of behavior and select a new approach.
You must first become aware of the anxiety cycle in order to break it. You'll learn to slow down your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors rather than allowing your anxious thoughts and feelings to dictate your actions.
When assessing your own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, we often talk about becoming a research scientist. The purpose of a normal scientist is to investigate a phenomenon objectively. They have hypotheses, but they're willing to disprove or affirm them based on the data (if they're ethical). You're going to be a scientist when it comes to your ideas and feelings. This entails taking a step back and observing what is happening on without prejudice or bias.
You're growing your personal power and diminishing the power of a thought or feeling over you as you learn to experience ideas and feelings as an observer. You will then be able to pick your behaviors consciously.
We'll talk about how to break free from the worry cycle's mental component next week.
Can praying cure anxiety?
According to study, prayer can help individuals with despair and anxiety. Researchers compiled data from 26 research that revealed patients' active participation in private or personal prayer. The effects of being prayed for or the value of attending religious meetings were not covered in the studies.
How do you know your soul is crying?
You may feel as if you're suffocating in the present moment, and your spirit is pleading for change. You're sick of doing the same things in the same way, and you're in desperate need of a change. Your soul yearns for a change. If you're suffering from soul agony, don't give up hope.
How do you know if your soul is gone?
A: Soul Loss refers to the loss of contact with one's soul. You can never completely lose your Soul; it is constantly present in the background of your existence, albeit often unreachable due to tragedy. Many people mistake the word “soul loss” to mean “the loss of one's soul.” Instead, it's about losing access to your most crucial core.
A: The Soul never ‘disappears,' it simply becomes more difficult to access and reconnect with. Anxiety, sadness, emotional numbness, loneliness, emptiness, chronic exhaustion, feelings of hopelessness, boredom, and profound unhappiness with life are all indications of Soul Loss.